Apparatus for photographic type setting



May 23, 1961 R. JACOMELLI 2,985,081

APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC TYPE SETTING INVENTOR.

R ggiero Jacame //L' AT Q mv E 3 S May 23, 1961 R. JACOMELLI 2,985,081

APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPI-IIC TYPE SETTING Filed Dec. 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

llllm II'IIIII-IIIIIIAIII n-- INVENTOR. Ru are cLcame/k BY 95 J dtvuuah g m United States Patent APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC TYPE SETTING Ruggero Jacomelli, Rome, Italy, assignor to D.E.I.- Tipografia del Genio Civile, Rome, Italy Filed Dec. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 782,428 Claims priority, application Italy Dec. 30, 1957 3 Claims. (Cl. 95-45) The present invention is concerned with an apparatus for composing titles, inscriptions and legends in printing type, by projecting on photosensitive paper the image of letters and marks printed previously on a negative film of suitable size and length. The film is mounted on a drum and across its width are printed, one under the other, the various letters in round and italics, boldface round and boldface italics of a standard alphabet, such as the Italian Bodoni, Elzeviro, Meraviglia, etc., the alphabetic progression extending over the length of the film, which is therefore divided into zones, the operations for the composition of the individual titles or inscriptions being limited, as it will be indicated below, to the zone comprising the alphabet to be used.

The body size will be determined by the optical positioning of the projection of the image of the letter or mark printed on the film, with respect to the plane on which the photosensitive paper or layer is mounted.

Once the body size and type face are selected, to compose the title or inscription the individual letters and marks will have to be suitably spaced, and to this end the apparatus comprises the following parts, designed to operate in combination with each other:

(a) The composition device; (b) The production device; (c) The spacing device.

The description of the invention is presented hereinbelow with reference to the drawings which represent, on a non-limiting basis, a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. lis a plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the same, in partial crosssection;

Fig. 3 shows, on a larger scale, the ways on which the camera slides and the double focusing cam, with the spacing devices;

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the reference gear wheel and of the contact ring;

Fig. '5 shows the arrangement of the pointers, scales, dials and handwheels on one side of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a double graduated scale for the black space correction index and for the exposure time index.

The parts composing the apparatus will be described below with reference to the figures.

The composing device comprises:

(1) The type magazine, consisting of a single roll of film whereon are printed in negative the letters and marks of the various type faces, arranged in succession over the length of the film. Each letter and mark is repeated four times across the width of the film in round, italics, boldface round and boldface italics, so that each alphabet is repeated four times in four parallel lines.

The film (Fig. l) is mounted on two reels 1 and 2, which act alternatively as delivery and take-up reels. The type film is wound around the composition drum consisting of two identical cylindrical caps 5 and 6 (Fig. 2), between which is mounted a glass cylinder 4 on which the film directly rests. The drum 56 is freely rotatable on the fixed shaft 7, and a handwheel 8, fastened to the cylindrical hub 5, enables the operator to align the various type characters with the optical axis of the projector. To pass from the round to the italics and from the boldface round to the boldface italics, the cylinder 56 is moved vertically along the fixed shaft 7 by means of a cam 9 fastened to a shaft 9', actuated by a handwheel not shown in the drawing. This cam enables the operator to bring into alignment with the optical axis of the projector each of the four types (round, italics, etc.) of each letter of each alphabet. To this end, the drum will be made to assume four different positions in height, plus a fifth position in which the said drum 56 is disengaged from an alternatively fixed and rotating structure which will be described below. 7

Fixed to the handwheel is a pointer 10 (Fig. 1) which, in the course of the composing operation, can be made to point at any of the letters or marks shown on a dial placed on the upper horizontal face of the machine table.

The unwinding of the film from either reel and the winding thereof on the other is obtained by means of the belt 12 riding in grooves provided on the half-drum 6 and on the cheeks of reels 1 and 2.

On the fixed shaft 7 is mounted, underneath drum 56, a rotatable disc 13, the edge of which is shaped to triangular teeth 13'. In a recess of disc 13, a metal ring 14 is placed concentrically with the said disc and with shaft 7. On the metal ring 14 are suitably arranged, in concentric circle, projections 14, preferably hemispheric, the number of which is equal to the number of letters and marks forming one alphabet. To each letter or mark corresponds a projection 14' lying at the intersection of the circle 'on which the projection is placed with the radius of the tooth of disc 13 corresponding to the letter or mark involved.

As will be indicated below when describing the opera tion of the apparatus, when the title or inscription is composed, disc 13 will revolve with drum 56, because thimbles 15 fixed on the lower face of the half-drum'G, each containing a spring-loaded ball 17, guide the said ball 17 to fit into recesses in the upper face of disc 13. But when, by suitably actuating cam 9, drum 56 is allowed to descend by its own weight, pins 16 fixed to base 19, enter holes in disc 13 corresponding to the recesses into which the balls 17 are engaged, and force the balls back into the thimbles 15 by a sufficient extent to disengage disc 13 from drum 56.

Slidable axially on shaft 7 is also mounted, underneath disc 13, a plate 18, through the holes of which pass the pins 16. Plate 18 is extended radially, with an arm 20 which carries the contacts 20', the innermost of which is always in contact with metal ring 14, while each of the other contacts 20, aligned along a radius, corresponds to one of the hemispheric projections 14' underneath metal ring 14.

Also fixed to base 19 is a device 21 which, under the action of electromagnet 22, engages one of the teeth of disc 13 and corrects its position, positioning the letter or mark being composed into perfect alignment with the optical axis of the projector.

Reproduction device: Internally to drum 56 is placed a case 23 (Figs. 1 and 2), fixed radially to shaft 7. This case contains a parabolic or like mirror 24, a projection bulb 25 and an optical condenser 26. This system is centered on a small slot 27 in a diaphragm placed immediately behind glass cylinder 4. Through the slot 27 is visible one single letter or mark of one of the alphabets printed on the film, and the type face (round, italics, etc.) will be that corresponding to the height setting of the drum.

To base 19 is connected a slide 28 (Fig. 3) upon which are mounted and independently slidable, a lens holder plate 29 and a double plate 30 on which is mounted camera 3 fitted with a magazine or holder 3 where .the paper strip of sensitive film to be exposed is arranged on spools in a known fashion.

The body of the camera and the camera lens are moved .simultaneously but to a different extent on focusing purposes by means of a double drum cam 31, the edges of which are shaped to a variable-radius profile. Upon these edges ride two diametrical rollers 31' and 31", the shaft of the former being connected to the sliding lensholder plate 29, and that of the latter being fixed to the double camera-holder plate 30. Springs mm force the two rollers '31 and 31" against the edges of the double cam 31. The latter is rotatable in bearings mounted on the base, and is rotated by means of a spiral gear 32 into which meshes the work gear 33, actuated by means of handwheel 34 (Fig. l).

Spacing device: A lever 35 to which is fastened a vertical' blade 36, fixed underneath it, is rotatable around a pivot 37 (Figs. 1 and 3), fixed to plate 38 which slides on ways 39 of base 19, its motion being controlled by the screw 40 actuated from handwheel 41 (Fig. 2).

On plate 38 are also mounted an electromagnet 42 which actuates the said lever 35, and an assembly 43 comprising eight levers 43', electrically controlled, acting as stops to the travel of the blade 36 carried by lever 35. Because of the different length of levers 43, the travel of lever 35 varies depending on which of levers 43 intercepts the blade 36.

Two guides 45 and 46, fastened to plate 30, allow the axial sliding of a rod 44 (Fig. 3), at one end of which is fastened a pivot 47, riding into the slot 48 of lever 35. Rod 44 also moves parallel to itself together with plate 30.

The axial movement of rod 44 drives into rotation, in one direction only, the freewheel 49 (Fig. 2), which drives the gear 50, which moves the film through the camera. An extension of the rod 44 actuates another pawl device which drives another freewheel, not shown in the figure, connected with roller 52 on which rides tape 53 guided by pulleys 54 and 55. Behind the tape is mounted a tubular bulb 56, which lights a transparent pointer 69 (Fig. mounted on tape'53. A 45 mirror 57 mounted nextto bulb 56 projects the image of the said luminous pointer on two scales 71, graduated in opposite directions, thus providing an indication of the movement of the film for each letter or mark printed, chiefly for the purpose of showing by how much the spacing must be corrected in order to obtain a composition with justified lines, i.e. all of the same length. This correction of the spacing is introduced by means of handwheel58 (Fig. l) which changes the width of the blank spaces between one character and the next. This handwheel actuates rod 44 by means of cam 59 (Fig. 1).

Lastly, an index for the correction of the blank spaces, i.e. the spaces actually occupied by the letter or mark, actuated by handwheel 41, shows the correction to be introduced in the spacing device to fit the character being composed, which for the same body size may vary in width.

Lastly, the machine is'fitted with: a locking and unlocking button61 (Fig. 5), designed to ensure safety in that it prevents erroneousvmoves when the inscription is not yet being composed; a dial 70 (Fig. 5) showing the exposure times to be .used with the different body sizes; aslot 62 showing-the type actually being composed; a knob168 (Fig. 5) used forthe zeroing of the luminous pointer.

The machine is used in the following way:

(I) By means of'handwheel 8 and pointer 16, the mark or letter-to'be reproduced is selected, using also the indications provided by slot 62, and the handwheel controlling cam'-9 is, positioned to tlietype face selected (round,

4 italics, boldface round, boldface italics), then the button 61 is set to unlocked position.

(2) By turning the handwheel 41 (Fig. 1), blank space correction pointer 6t) (Fig. 6) is moved to the number corresponding to the desired type body size, as indicated by an appropriate table.

(3) By turning the handwheel 34, pointer 64 (Fig. 6) is set for the exposure time suited to the body size selected, based on the indications of an appropriate table, and the magazine containing the film to be exposed is loaded into the camera.

(4) Pointer 10 is moved to the desired letter or mark shown on the dial on the upper table of the machine, then button 65 (Fig. 1) is depressed. The machine will automatically center the selected letter or mark by means of wedge 21, and produce the correct exposure in relation to the body size used.

(5) To produce the blank spaces between words, the composition pointer is moved against the proper designation (wide, narrow, normal) and the button 65 is depressed.

(6) If the composer wishes to change body face types in the same line (round, italics, etc.), the handwheel actuating cam 9 is adjusted accordingly.

(7) When it is desired to compose justified lines (i.e. of a specific length), the justification pointer 66 is moved to the appropriate position on the double scale 71 (Fig. 5), then the film locking button 61 is depressed and the line is composed for the first time until the luminous pointer comes so close to the justification pointer 66 as to leave no space for other marks or letters. The difference found between the point reached by the luminous pointer 69 and the length of the line is corrected by setting the blank-space handwheel 58 as indicated by a special table. The film control button is then moved to unlocked position, and the line is again composed to justified length.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for the composition in type of inscriptions in which the composition is obtained by projecting on a strip of sensitive film in a camera images inscribed on a matrix film, a spacing device, comprising a lever having a fulcrum pivot and movable with the focusing control of said camera, a rod connected to said camera and having its axis normal to the direction of the projection of said image and having a fixed pivot,

said lever having a slot in which said fixed pivot slides,

an electrical relay calibrated to the width of the various images on said matrix film, means actuated by said relay for selectively controlling the movement of said lever, whereby said lever controls the axial movement of said rod which is in proportion to the width of the particular image being composed, means for moving said rod normal to its axis for varying the size of said images projected on said sensitive film, means connected to said rod for moving said sensitive film simultaneously with the axial movement of said rod, and a continuous tape having a slot, a light source behind said slot illuminating said tape, and a luminous pointer showing on an appropriate scale the length of the line composed, whereby the line may be justified and the space left to the edge of the exposition may be filled by introducing a correction in the spacing as indicated by an appropriate table.

2. In a device for the composition in type of inscription in which a composition is obtained by projecting on a strip of sensitive film images inscribed on'a matrix film, an apparatus for photographic type setting, comprising a fixed shaft, an opaque drum having a transparent portion and rotatably mounted axially on said shaft, a light source disposed in said drum and supported by said shaft, a disc disposed adjacent said drum and rotatably mounted on said shaft, a plurality of reels mounted on said disc and carrying said matrix film, said matrixfilm being in contact with said transparent portion of said drum, whereby said light source projects said images from said matrix fihn outwardly from said drum, and locking means connecting said drum and said disc and having a locked position and an unlocked position, whereby when said locking means is in said unlocked position said drum is rotatable about said shaft independent of said disc thereby unwinding said matrix film from one of said reels over said drum and on to another of said reels, and when said locking means is in said locked position said drum and said disc are rotatable as a unit and said matrix film remains stationary relative to said reels and said drum and rotates about said fixed shaft.

3. In a device for the composition in type of inscription in which a composition is obtained by projecting on a strip of sensitive film images inscribed on a matrix film, an apparatus for photographic type setting, comprising a fixed shaft, an opaque drum having a trans parent portion intermediate its ends and rotatably mounted axially on said shaft, a projection lamp disposed in said drum and supported by said shaft, a disc disposed adjacent said drum and rotatably mounted on said shaft, a plurality of reels mounted on said disc and carrying said matrix film, said matrix film being in contact with said transparent portion of said drum, whereby said 6 projection lamp projects one of said images from said matrix film outwardly from said drum, said discs having tapered recesses forming part of a circle having said fixed shaft as its center, a plurality of spring-loaded spheres disposed in said recesses, a plurality of slotted tubes rigidly connected to said drum and disposed over said recesses and said spheres, whereby said drum and said disc may be rotated as a unit about said shaft, and a plurality of pins connected to said device in alignment with said recesses and being of a width less than the width of said slots in said tubes, whereby relative vertical movement of said pins and said disc causes said pins to contact said spheres causing said spheres to enter said tubes allowing said drum to rotate independently of said disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,732,049 Hunter Oct. 15, 1929 2,019,764 Ogden Nov. 5, 1935 2,158,039 Wenczler May 9, 1939 2,649,036 Wirtz Aug. 18, 1953 2,780,151 Borisofii Feb. 5, 1957 

